Amazon’s God of War television series will recast the role of Kratos after actor Ryan Hurst tore a bicep on set, according to a Deadline report relayed by PC Gamer. Anonymous sources cited in that report say Hurst has had surgery and is recovering.
The injury lands after a considerable investment in the casting. Deadline notes that Hurst underwent a physical transformation for the part, putting on 40 pounds of muscle to play the character. A first-look photo of him in the role had already drawn a mixed reaction; with the recast, he will not get the chance to answer it on screen.
Four finished episodes have to be redone
Production paused immediately after the injury and is planned to restart by mid-October with a new actor in the role. That means reshooting what has already been filmed, and four episodes are reported to have wrapped, making this a substantial reset rather than a scheduling adjustment.
Two factors appear to have pushed Amazon toward starting over rather than waiting. Kratos is a physically demanding role, and the series pairs him with a child actor who is in his scenes and is aging quickly, which narrows how long a production can afford to sit idle. Waiting out a recovery and then rebuilding the same physical condition would have cost months that the second of those constraints does not allow.
The recast lands the series in an awkward position publicly. The first-look image was the only real look audiences had at the show, and it will now be replaced by a lead who has yet to be cast. Amazon has not commented on how the change affects the release timing.
Hurst is no stranger to the material. He voiced Thor in God of War Ragnarök, and outside the franchise he plays Mentor in Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey and appeared as Beta in AMC’s The Walking Dead. His replacement has not been named, though the reported production schedule suggests the casting will not stay open for long.
Join the conversation — sign in to comment.
Sign in